My Own Epic Drama
by The Good Girl
Summary: Sometimes, just simply being there for someone can change your life, and make you see them in a new light. (DS)
1. Alone

**Author Note:** Hey everyone! This is my first Danny Phantom fanfic! W00tw00t. How exciting, I know. Review please! I don't know why I decided to write one, I just wanted to very badly. So gimme some feedback and let me know what you think! No flamers please, but constructive criticism is appreciated.  
  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything from Danny Phantom. If I did, I wouldn't be stuck in Pennsylvania, rather, I'd be lying on my own private island while Chad Michael Murray rubs oils on me...shakes out of daze RIGHT! Anyways, on with the fic. This chapter isn't much of a chapter, maybe a prologue, but whatever! Enjoy.

**. . . . . .**

  
Samantha Manson looked down at her hands as she walked to the one place she dreaded most; school. The cold November air made her shiver relentlessly as she pulled her scarf closer around her neck, and stuck her hands into her pea-coat pocket. Casper High was probably her least favorite place to be, full of one-dimensional morons who didn't give a damn if she dropped dead right then and there. It wasn't as if she wanted them to care about her, just sometimes it hurt to know that the world wouldn't be one less different if she vanished off the face of the earth. Feeling like nothing...worthless...probably one of the worst feelings someone could have.  
  
Shrugging off her morning angst, she turned a corner, and slung her messenger bag off her left shoulder. She could see her high school in the distance, and frowned. She was half tempted to just turn around, right then and there, and drag her sixteen year old self back home to the confines of her bedroom, where sleep could overcome her and wash her insecurities away. Unfortunately, Sam was a junior now and had more things to worry about then skipping school—she had a major test in Chemistry today and if she didn't pass...well let's just say she wouldn't see daylight for several months. It wasn't like freshmen year anymore, where Sam skipped class whenever she was feeling low...she wanted to go to a good college, be something in this world, and if that meant swallowing her self-doubt every now and then, so be it.  
  
Just as Sam was seriously starting to regret wearing a skirt and thin stockings to school that morning because of the cold biting her legs, she made it into the warmth of her high school, the only comforting part of this daily routine. Walking with her head slightly down, she weaved in and out of the freshmen and sophomore hallways, and towards the junior hallway on the third floor. Quickly making her way to her locker, she began undoing her combination. No sooner had she began to put her messenger bag into the small locker, had she been interrupted from herself.  
  
"You look like your puppy just died," came a voice next to her. Sam looked up and rolled her eyes when she saw her best friend, Danny Fenton, leaning against the locker next to hers, books in hand.  
  
"It's cold out, okay? Not exactly a nice walk to school," Sam said, taking out her human studies and chemistry book.  
  
"You know as soon as my car gets out of the shop I'll give you rides again," Danny said. "Even though you are so out of the way..."  
  
"Shut up," Sam said, shutting her locker. She turned towards her friend. Danny had changed a lot since freshmen year, physically wise. Sure, he was still the shy, slightly awkward half ghost guy who was always there for her and Tucker, but he'd definitely grown into his sixteen year old self. Several months older than Sam, he stood six foot, with broader shoulders, thanks to ghost fighting, though he was still lanky. His hair was still always unkempt and black as midnight, and his eyes blue as ever...but he'd matured into his looks, growing into them. He seemed slightly more comfortable in his skin, but he was still shy around girls and an average student. But most of all, he was still her best friend, which meant everything to Sam. Tucker and Danny were the only people who understood her, and she didn't know where she'd be without them.  
  
"I still don't understand it," Danny continued, as the two of them began walking to homeroom. "You have all this money, yet you don't have a car, and I'm the one giving you rides."  
  
Sam grinned. "I told you my parents won't pay for a car...I have to get a job and learn 'responsibility.' Bullshit, they just don't feel like paying for me."  
  
Danny smirked. "Then why don't you just get a job?"  
  
Sam looked at him horrified. "A job? Me? How could you propose such a horrible idea? You expect me to succumb to the depths of someone else ordering me around to get a measly paycheck, which by the way half is deducted for stupid taxes, just for a car? When I have you to drive me everyway? I don't think so."  
  
Danny rolled his eyes just as the bell began to ring and they sat down in their seats in homeroom. Looking around, Danny noticed someone, the third in their trio, was missing. "Hey, where's Tuck? Is he sick or something?"  
  
Sam shrugged, noticing Tucker was missing also. "I don't know. He didn't call me."  
  
And right then, as if on cue, Tucker came rushing through the door, looking flustered and rushed. Their homeroom teacher gave him a deathly glare, but Tucker ignored it and made his way over to his friends. He sat down and Sam watched him amused. She should have known—Tucker was always late, no matter what.  
  
"Dude," Danny started, abandoning his unfinished homework and looking up at his friend. "That's like the frigging eighth time you've been late in four weeks...what's up?"  
  
Tucker glared at Danny. "I take the bus, man. Unlike you, I don't have a car. Unlike Sam, I don't live around the corner from you. Unlike the both of you, I take the damn bus. Therefore resulting in my sometimes missing the bus, causing me to walk to school, or the bus getting stuck in extra traffic with picking up kids."  
  
Sam laughed at Tucker and he glared at her.  
  
"What is so funny?"  
  
She shrugged and began writing a few last minute touches to her chemistry homework. "Nothing...it's just...that sucks." Tucker continued to send Sam a death glare while Danny just smirked, full out forgetting about his homework and instead began talking to Tucker about something or another. Sam didn't care much about their conversation; fully trying to concentrate on acing her chemistry next period...she was really starting to worry. It wasn't like her to fuss over grades; she'd always been naturally bright and never had to put much into studying. But this year was harder, and Sam wasn't as focused...at home, it was like World War III. Her parents wouldn't stop fighting, and over such stupid things. Sam knew lots of parents fought and divorce was as common as anything, but it was so distracting, and it scared her. The fights were getting worse each day, and she suspected her dad was sneaking around with another woman. He hadn't been home, and Sam feared something bad was going to happen, worse then verbal fights...these fights could turn physical, and Sam didn't want to get in the way. Her parents had tempers hotter than hell. But she was good at hiding her emotions. Neither Danny nor Tucker knew about her home situation—she didn't want to burden them with her problems. Danny had enough on his plate, having to battle ghosts and worry about normal teenage boy things...while Tucker had his own things to worry about and was either always working at his job at the deli, or doing homework, or with Sam and Danny. She just didn't want to feel like a burden.  
  
"Sam—hellllooooo?"  
  
Sam shook out of her daze and looked up to find Danny looking at her curiously. "What?" she asked. Looking around, she noticed most of the class had dispersed. "Where'd everyone go?"  
  
"The bell rang like two minutes ago," Danny said. "Come on, we're gonna be late for first period, and I know you have a major chem. Test cause you wouldn't stop stressing over it all week. Now come on."  
  
Sam gathered up her books and bid goodbye to Danny and Tucker as she headed for her test...she needed to stop drifting off into her own world—what if Danny or Tucker suspected something? Putting her barriers back up, she crossed her fingers as she took her seat, praying she would pass the test. She wasn't sure how she'd handle it if she bombed it.

**. . . . . .**  
  
The rest of school flew by that day, much to Sam's dismay. She dreaded going home...she was expecting the fighting, that didn't really faze her. She just missed peace and quiet. Part of the reason her grades were beginning to slip was because she couldn't concentrate with the racket her parents made. You'd think a house as big as Sam's that her parents would find a place to fight that Sam couldn't hear...but no, she heard everything. Every last insult, every last swear, every last regret.  
  
Sam shook the thoughts out of her head as she closed her locker and headed out of school. She needed to stop dwelling on her parent's fighting. It wasn't supposed to be affecting her like this, making her think about it all the time. What was wrong with her? Parents' fighting like her parents did was normal, wasn't it? What was the big deal? She needed to stop being so dramatic.  
  
"Hey—Sam, wait up!"  
  
Sam stopped and turned around to find Danny jogging over to her, a hoodie on to keep away the cold weather and his bag slung across his shoulder.  
  
"Hey," she said, smiling at him. Both of them began to walk down the sidewalk. "Jazz didn't feel like giving you a ride home today?"  
  
Danny sighed. "Nahh, she had to work on some project or something. So I'm stuck walking home...she didn't even feel like giving me a ride this morning, but I eventually persuaded her. I think it's this project she's doing...she's paired up with some guy she likes."  
  
Sam grinned. "Aww, poor Danny is being neglected by his big sister. How cute!"  
  
"Shut up," Danny rolled his eyes, but grinned all the same. Sam glanced up at the gray sky above them...it was almost like an omen to wait awaited her at home. Danny noticed the estranged look on Sam's face, and frowned.  
  
"Something bothering you, Sam?" he asked. Sam jerked her head to look at Danny.  
  
"What? Oh—no! No, I'm fine...kind of tired from that test this morning," Sam rambled. Danny shrugged, figuring if whatever was wrong was serious, Sam would tell him. He figured it was one of those 'girly things' that he just didn't understand, and frankly, cared not to. They got to Sam's house and she turned to Danny and put on her best smile.  
  
"See you later, Danny." Sam turned around and hurried into her house, before Danny could suspect anything else.

**. . . . . .**  
  
"Mom, I'm home!" Sam called, throwing her coat onto the rack beside the door and making her way into the kitchen. She found her mom sitting there at the table, reading a book as something on the stove cooked.  
  
Mrs. Manson looked up when Sam entered the room and strained a grin at her daughter. "How was school, honey?"  
  
Sam shrugged, going over to the fridge and pulling out a water bottle. "It was okay...I think I did pretty good on my chem. Test though...I was so nervous...what smells so good?"  
  
Mrs. Manson sighed, standing up and going over to check on the pot on the stove. "I'm making some spaghetti and meatballs, I didn't have time to pick up anything else on my way home from work. You're father won't be joining us tonight, I'm afraid. So it's just me and you sweetie."  
  
Sam tried to grin at her mother but found she couldn't. "Where is he?"  
  
Sam hadn't meant to hurt her mother by making her uncomfortable, but she thought she had a right to know where her father was. Mrs. Manson looked sadly at her daughter. Sam hadn't realized how much her mother was hurting...not matter how common it was, fighting still sucked.  
  
"Another late shift," Mrs. Manson said softly, turning back to the food. Sam knew her father didn't have 'another late shift.' Probably out with his girlfriend. She wished her mother would just wake up and divorce the man...life would be so much easier. Why hold on to something that was barely there?  
  
"Dinner should be ready soon, why don't you go start your homework?" Mrs. Manson continued to stir the pot and Sam nodded.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Grabbing her bag from the chair, she made her way up the grand staircase and into her bedroom, the one place she could really feel safe. Sitting on her bed, she dropped her bag and took a shaky breath. What was wrong with her? Her hands were shaking, and she felt a burning sensation behind her eyes. She wouldn't let her father do this to her...it wasn't so bad, Sam thought. People went through worse things every day. Stop it, she commanded herself. Her life was far from bad, stop feeling so sorry for yourself. But then, Sam wondered, why was there a lump in her throat. Sam felt water trickle down her face, and touched her cheek confused.  
  
It took a few moments for Sam to realize she was crying.

**. . . . . .**

**Hey everyone, hope this was okay for my first chapter of my first Danny Phantom fic...anyways, review and let me know what you think about this! Love and Strawberries, The Good Girl.**


	2. My Own

**Author Note:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I hope this chapter is okay. I'm not sure where I want this story to go...also, the DS part, that's going to be a little slow. I don't want it to be unreal, and like out of nowhere they fall in love, you know? But it will happen, just the right way.  
  
**Disclaimer:** Same as before, Danny Phantom is most definitely not mine!!

**. . . . . .**

Sam lay awake, staring up at her ceiling, her big purple hues memorizing every crack and crevice. She could hear the yells and cries from downstairs where her parents were at it, yet again. Glancing over at her alarm clock on the bedside table, Sam groaned. It was three o'clock in the morning, and Sam really needed to get to sleep or else she'd regret it in the morning. Sam thanked the Lord it was a Friday and she didn't have school the next day, or else she didn't think she could make it. Why couldn't they just give it a rest for once?  
  
Just as she was beginning to doze off, a loud shatter and a crash sent her eyes flying open. That definitely didn't sound good...her breathing became haggard and she pulled her blankets up to her chin, squeezing her eyes shut. Please let Mom be okay, she prayed, Please let Mom be okay...after a few minutes of silence, Sam heard the slam of the front door and a car pulling out of the driveway. Shakily getting out of her bed, she tip-toed to the window and caught a glimpse of her father speeding off down the street. Taking another haggard breath, Sam crawled back into bed and into a fitful sleep.

**. . . . . .**

Sunlight poured into the grand bedroom, causing the sleeping girl to squint and groan. Pulling the covers up over her eyes to shield her from the day's crisp embrace, Sam tried her best to get back asleep. After a few minutes of trying to doze off, Sam gave up and glanced over at the clock beside her. Surprised that the time read half past noon, Sam sat up, rubbing her eyes. Memories from the night before came flooding back to her. Sam flopped back onto her pillows and stretched. She wondered how long it was going to be before her father returned.  
  
Descending the stairway, Sam found the house oddly quiet. Usually the radio or TV was on in the kitchen while Mrs. Manson went about her business, but today everything was still. Hurrying into the kitchen, Sam found a note waiting for her at the counter. Taking it, she saw it was from her mother saying she was out for the day, running errands and such, and she'd be home later. Sam crumpled up the note, and shot it towards the trashcan, missing of course, but not caring nonetheless.  
  
Just as she was pouring herself a glass of orange juice, there was a knock at the front door and Sam grumbled. Who could be visiting her first thing in the morning? A little voice reminded her that it was in the middle of the afternoon, but Sam chose to ignore it. Setting her glass down and making her way to the front door, still clad in her pajamas which consisted of a loose hoodie and pajama pants, her hair thrown on top of her head, Sam let out a huge yawn. She couldn't wait to move out of the house and get her own place...just another year she reminded herself.  
  
The person at the door knocked again, causing Sam to frown.  
  
"I'm coming!" She yelled, irritated. Unlocking the front door, she grinned tiredly when she saw it was only Danny, leaning against the door frame, hands in pockets, looking the opposite way.  
  
"Oh hey Danny," she said, turning around and walking back towards the kitchen. "Shut the door on your way in, would you?"  
  
Danny smirked, following Samantha, after shutting the door. "Why, good morning to you too. You do know that it's twelve-thirty?"  
  
Sam took a sip from her orange juice as Danny sat down at the kitchen table. She looked down at him. "It's a Saturday, I slept 't get to sleep last night."  
  
Danny raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Whatever. Tucker told me to tell you that he couldn't hang today, he has to help his grandparents with house stuff...like mowing the lawn or whatever."  
  
"Oooh, lucky him," Sam said, raiding the fridge for some breakfast. "You want anything?"  
  
Danny shook his head, drumming his fingers on the table. "No thanks...so what do you feel like doing today?"  
  
"I dunno," Sam said, sitting down across from Danny, biting into an apple. "What do you want to do today?"  
  
Danny smirked at the girl in front of him and shrugged. Sam grinned.  
  
"We really need to start being more decisive, or we're never going to get anywhere."  
  
Danny grinned and studied Sam. She didn't look right...her eyes were hollow and missing their usual spark, her skin was pale, and she looked more tired than he'd ever seen her. But it was her eyes that really spoke to him...they looked so dead, broken. Sam must have noticed Danny staring at her, because she blushed and coughed.  
  
Danny snapped out of his daze and rubbed the back of his head absentmindedly. Finishing up her apple, Sam crossed to the trashcan, throwing out the core, but stopping dead in her tracks. There, in the trashcan, was what she had heard crash last night. One of her mother's fine china plates. Sam could care less about the broken china, but what made her breath catch in her throat was the red substance stained all over the pure white of the plate, and the rags thrown around it soaked in none other than blood. One of her parents had been hurt last night, though she had no idea which one. She silently prayed that her mother was safe, but she didn't want her father hurt either. The plate had been swept clumsily up and thrown out, probably in a state of shock. Sam wondered why her parents hadn't even tried to hide it from her. She stiffened, and felt slightly dizzy.  
  
Danny noticed her sudden stiffness—he noticed almost everything about her—and immediately got up. "Sam—what's wrong?"  
  
Danny's voice provided Sam with a dose of reality and she turned to him, surprising Danny when he saw the color was drained out of her face. Though she was always pale, the rosy tint that usually shown on her cheeks was missing. Her hands were shaking, Danny noticed with somewhat alarm.  
  
"N-nothing," she stammered, kicking the trashcan out of view. "Nothing, just...I don't feel real good." A cold sweat broke out on Sam's forehead. Danny knew something was wrong now.  
  
"Are you sick?" he asked, coming over to her. She took a few steps away from the trashcan, blocking it from Danny's view. "Do you feel okay?" He instinctively put a hand to her forehead and frowned. "You're not warm. We don't have to hang out today, why don't you go back to sleep?" Danny's blue hues were full of concern and worry—all he wanted to do was take care of Sam right then, make sure she was alright. But Sam shook her head stubbornly, wiping at her forehead.  
  
"No," she said, offering him a shaky smile. "I'm fine—just a little tired, I didn't get to bed until after four last night...No, I want to go out. Lemme just change real quickly, alright? I'll meet you out front in ten." With that, Sam sped off upstairs, leaving a bewildered Danny to stand alone in the kitchen.

**. . . . . .**

When Sam met Danny out on her front porch fifteen minutes later, she looked somewhat better, but the dead look hadn't gone from her eyes. Danny observed her, trying to find out what was wrong. Besides her eyes, everything else just seemed normal with Sam. Her plaid skirt, heavy boots, pea-coat with a hood sticking out, her black hair pulled into a low ponytail, a safety pin through her earring hole. She was the same old Sam, but her eyes seemed to break Danny's heart. The only other time he'd seen that look in Sam's eyes was last year, when Danny had gotten seriously hurt fighting off one of the toughest ghosts he'd ever encountered. Sam's eyes had been hollow for a while after that, watching him cautiously, as if he might not be there when she turned back around.  
  
But Danny was fine, so he knew it had nothing to do with his ghost powers, or any burden of that matter. He wondered how serious whatever Sam was dealing with could be...he wanted to be there for her, when she needed him. She was always there for him, yet with Sam it was hard. She always put these barriers up, ever since they were little. She wouldn't tell Danny what was bothering her until it was so bad she couldn't deal with it. But what if she needed to deal with her problems before they escalated? Sam couldn't always put barriers up; sooner or later they'd continue to break. Danny shook the foreboding thoughts out of his mind as Sam and he made their way down the sidewalk, the cold autumn wind playing across their faces, and Danny was glad when Sam's rosy tint came back to her cheeks. Not because they made her look so cute and innocent, no, that was an added benefit of course, but he didn't want her to look so gaunt and sickly, because then it seemed to officiate the fact that Sam was in trouble, or whatever the matter was. Danny sighed inwardly frustrated. Girls were so confusing.  
  
"So," Sam said, looking over to Danny as a strand of her hair blew across her face, causing Danny to fight the temptation to brush it aside, feeling just how silky it felt. It's not that Danny had a crush on Sam or even liked her like that...it was just that Danny was beginning to notice Sam. He couldn't help it. Whenever her hair was blown about, he wanted to run his hands through it...whenever she was sad, he wanted to dry her tears. Whenever she was hurting, he wanted to take her pain away. He couldn't help it, and honestly, it scared him. Was he beginning to like Sam in that way? He hoped not, it was undoubtedly going to ruin their friendship if he did. So shrugging all that away, he blamed it on teenage boy hormones. "Where are we going?"  
  
Danny sighed, rubbing the back of his head and sticking his hands in his pockets. "Err...heh, don't really know. Where do you want to go?"  
  
Sam looked over at Danny with amusement. They were walking along the sidewalk, nearing the park that she'd spent most of her childhood in, where she first met Danny as he stuck sand down her dress when they were four. Smiling at the memory, Sam sighed. She didn't know why she wanted to visit the park, but she figured since they were near and everything, what the hell?  
  
"Why don't we head over to the park," Sam said, shrugging. "It's just around the corner."  
  
Danny grinned; he hadn't visited the park in so long. Never enough time it seemed. "Okay." 

**. . . . . .**

Sam giggled as she leaned back in the swing, her hair inches above the frosty ground. Danny observed her from the swing he was sitting on, glad that his friend was finally smiling again. She sat back up straight, twirling the swing around in circles, looking at the ground, a careless grin on her face. She turned to Danny and smirked.  
  
"It's so nice to get out of the house," she sighed, not even thinking. "Away from all the yelling."  
  
Danny looked questionably at her, and frowned. "Yelling?"  
  
Immediately the color seemed to drain from Sam's face and she looked up at Danny, a look of panic that made his heart clench. He could see the excuses forming in her mind, trying desperately to lie her way out of this one.  
  
"Er," she stammered, stopping the swing from twirling with her foot. "Did I say yelling? Heh, I meant laughing...yeah, you know, my parents always happy and whatnot. Dunno why I said yelling, I told you I barely got any sleep! You know how my parents are, always optimistic...damn happy people, hate them...yeah."  
  
Danny looked at her doubtfully, not believing her excuse. He watched her as she sighed a breath of caution, praying to God that he would let it go...she hadn't meant to say yelling. She wasn't even thinking! It's not that Sam didn't want to tell Danny about her parents, she trusted him fully, she was just embarrassed. Embarrassed that she was making such a big deal out of such a common thing. So what, her parents were fighting? But when she saw the bloody plate this morning, something inside of her seemed to fall apart. It was one thing to have her parents fighting, but another thing to have someone hurt. Sam was just so confused...she had no idea what to do. Glancing away from Danny, she swallowed. She couldn't look into his eyes, if she did, she knew she'd melt and confess everything, how much pain it really was causing her to have her parents scream and yell at each other all the time.  
  
"Sam, what's going on?" Danny questioned. He needed to know, he needed to help Sam. She couldn't keep everything locked up together, who knew what would happen. If she didn't start talking, things could get worse. "Why won't you tell me?"  
  
Sam continued to look at the ground, trying to appear calm and composed. "Nothing, Danny! Nothing. I'm just out of it...okay? Please, can you just leave it? If something was wrong, I'd tell you, I swear!"  
  
"But that's just it Sam," Danny snapped, growing angry. Something definitely was wrong, and he needed to know. It hurt him that she wasn't confiding in him, but most of all it hurt because he felt so useless. He may have been a bit selfish, but he felt so useless to Sam. What was the point of being a best friend if you let them fall apart? What if Sam needed his help when it was too late? What the hell was the problem? Danny felt so in the dark. "You wouldn't tell me! I know you, Sam! You're gonna keep it in, until it eats you alive and then you're going to break down! I'm not stupid, something's up!"  
  
Sam glared at Danny, her face pink with burning anger. "You don't trust me enough to tell you? Do you think I'm weak, Danny? You don't always have to play the white knight! I'm okay on my fucking own sometimes!"  
  
Danny shook his head. "But you're not okay on your own, Sam! You put these barriers up, and sometimes, goddammit, it's okay to lean on someone for support! Stop thinking you have to deal with this on your own! Stop being so selfish!"  
  
Sam stood up, glaring with all her might at Danny. She knew he was only trying to help, and she knew she wanted so desperately to tell him about her parents, she needed to tell someone. But Sam was stubborn, and she hated being dependent on someone. She didn't need anyone...she was losing trust in her parents, so how did she know she could trust her best friends from hurting her? Everything was so confusing; she wasn't even making sense to herself. All she felt was anger towards her best friend.  
  
"I'm being selfish?" She spat. "Me? Danny, just stay out of my fucking business! I don't need anyone to help me, I'm fucking fine!" And with that, Sam turned and ran down the path leading out of the park, tears forming in her eyes. What was her problem? She wanted to tell Danny, she wanted to confide in him, but she just couldn't. What the hell was wrong with her? She cared about Danny so much...but her heart was breaking everyday because of her parents. Damn them for fucking her up like this...  
  
Danny watched Samantha run out of the park, all anger draining away from him. Something was wrong, he knew it now. Sam wouldn't have snapped at him like that unless something was wrong. And he would do all he could to help Sam and be there for her, because he was her best friend, and that's what best friends were for. Yet the foreboding feeling in Danny's stomach made him nervous...What was happening to Sam?

**. . . . . .**

**Hey guys. I hope you liked this chapter! Hope no one is confused. Anyways, review and let me know what you think. Thanks! Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter: (you all get a strawberry!) Sakura Scout, galabalesh, Divagurl277, Mujitsu Yume, Ryo's destiny, lightning streak, coldplayer 813. Thanks!! Love and Strawberries, The Good Girl.**


	3. Bruised & Broken

**Author Note: **Hey guys. Okay, so I had this chapter 3/4 of the way done, but I was reading it over and realized I was totally screwing it up. So I deleted half of it, and re-did it. The first copy was so dramatic, and frankly, very unrealistic. So I re-did it this way, because I feel it's more effective then the first. Sometimes less is more, no? Okay so I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: **Nope, Danny Phantom still doesn't belong to me...pity, really.

** . . . . . . . . . . . .**  
  
The Manson Mansion was quiet as Sam made her way tentatively inside the cold house. She couldn't help but shudder...something just didn't feel right...but what was it? Her father's car had been in the parking lot and her stomach was nothing but a knot. Her mother's car was also home, meaning they had no doubt made contact, and who knew what had happened then. Sam was just thankful she hadn't been home when they crossed their paths.  
  
Just as she hung up her coat on the rack by the door, she began to quickly ascend the stairway, hoping she wouldn't have to face her parents at all that night. It was later that day that she and Danny had fought and she felt horrible. Why had she gotten so defensive? It was ridiculous, that's what it was. Danny had only wanted to help her! Why had she put those damn barriers back up? They were horrible, those fucking barriers. She had problems. She couldn't even open up to her best friend about her parent's petty fighting, and yet she knew she was breaking inside. Damn teen angst, damn it all.  
  
Just as she reached the top landing and was heading to the confines of her room, Sam heard her name being called from the kitchen. Grimacing, she turned around and slowly walked down the steps. What did her parents want with her? She wasn't anxious to see either of them, but she did want to find out which parent was hurt, or worse, what if it was serious? Loss of blood could be serious, what if one of her parents had struck a vein? Feeling sick, Sam sped up her face, suddenly anxious to see what her parents wanted with her, yet foreboding.  
  
Sam entered the lavish kitchen and immediately the air hung thickly with tension, causing Sam's breathing to become haggard. She couldn't help it. Seeing her father sitting there at the kitchen table made her feel so distant, so alone...he hadn't been home for a few days, and seeing him there broke Sam's heart. She was never close to her parents in the first place, not having any special relationship with them. They were merely there for standard reasons, strictly. She couldn't talk to her mom about boys or anything, and her father she didn't even know. Sam had figured her parents were not cut out to be parents, and in fact, she was sure they hadn't even planned on having children. Sam came as an unexpected, and most likely unwelcome, surprise. Sam's mother was currently washing dishes at the sink, but Sam couldn't care less. She was staring at her father's forearm, a bandage wrapped around it, no doubt covering a wound...a wound which came from the crash she had heard last night. So her mother had thrown the plate...but why?  
  
Sam stood there, almost in a trance, in front of her parents. When the awkward silence became too much and she thought she'd pass out from all the tension, Sam nervously cleared her throat. "You wanted me?"  
  
Mr. Manson looked tiredly up at his daughter, with the hollow eyes Sam had inherited. Those hollow, those violet eyes that were so haunted, so tired, so lonely. Sam almost broke down right then and there. Her father didn't look pleased, but not necessarily angry either. More bothered, or annoyed than anything else. Sam tugged nervously at her low ponytail which spilled over her shoulder.  
  
"We just got a call from your chemistry teacher," Mr. Manson began. "Mr. Bonsley, I think. He's concerned about your grades. According to him, they are slipping greatly...you went from an A- to a C in four weeks? When were you planning on telling us this, Samantha."  
  
Sam frowned, shifting her feet and pulling at her hair. She'd dropped that much? She hadn't been aware of that...was it because of her parents fighting? Was it finally taking a toll on her studies? Sam didn't know if it was just because she was getting lazy, or she couldn't concentrate, but she knew neither was an answer her parents wanted.  
  
"I didn't know," she said lamely. Honestly, she didn't care. She knew this was going to turn into her parents yelling at her, but she would just tune out and not listen...that way, she didn't get hurt, and her parents thought they had made a difference in Sam.  
  
"What do you mean you didn't know?!" Her mother now turned around and glared down at her daughter. Sam just continued to stare ahead out the window above the sink. Her mother had a temper of her own, but she'd get over it. "Sam, you failed that chemistry test! Now, that's going to bring your lovely C down to a D. Sam, what's happening?"  
Sam opened her mouth to protest, but her father cut her off.  
  
"That's not all," he began, his anger suddenly sparked. Wonderful. So much for the 'bothered-annoyed' state of mind. Now he looked downright pissed. "He also informed me that your other grades are slipping. Hm! You dropped to a C also in math class, and a B in human studies. Human studies, Samantha! A B is not an exception. That is one of the easiest classes! What is wrong with you?"  
  
Sam inwardly sighed. Will her parents _ever_ shut up? So she's struggling in school, it's their fault anyway. Sam hated when her parents became all dramatic and morbid. It was enough to have them fighting, but when they got on her case continually, Sam grew annoyed and distant. No wonder her parents thought her to be some cold girl, they didn't even know her. They were either busy correcting her, or caught up in their own drama.  
  
"Samantha Manson!" her father yelled angrily, spitting flecks of spit onto Sam's face. "You answer us right now! What is wrong with you?! Why are your grades slipping?! Is it drugs Samantha, are you smoking _pot_, is that it? Or are you having sex? That's it, isn't it, are you sneaking around behind our backs with boys—I knew I should have..."  
  
Sam stopped listening to her father. Pot? Sex? What, was this some kind of after-school special? Sam felt like laughing out loud, but she just continued to stare lazily ahead. Her father was the most dramatic of all...what did he think of her? Some low-life scum? She wasn't that stupid.  
  
"It's that Danny kid isn't it!" he yelled angrily. "You're not to hang out with him!"  
  
"Samantha, what is going on here?"  
  
_Blah...blah...blah.  
_  
"Sam, answer us now!"  
  
_Blah...blah...blah._  
  
"This is humiliating, a D in chemistry?"  
  
_Blah...blah...blah._  
  
"What is your problem?"  
  
_Blah...blah...blah._  
  
"Is something mentally wrong with you?!"  
  
_Blah...blah...blah._  
  
"Samantha Manson, answer us right now!"  
  
Sam still didn't answer her parents. She just looked down at her feet, hoping they'd give up on her. It was a drag having to talk to her parents.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Manson looked at Sam angry, irritated, all of the above. Sam couldn't stand it, but she bit her tongue. Finally, Mrs. Manson sighed irritably.  
  
"It's no wonder you don't have many friends," she sighed. "You don't talk, and you're out of it. Just...just go to your room. You're grounded."  
  
Sam turned away from her parents and hurried up to her bedroom, glad they'd let her go, but suddenly extremely sad. _Was_ something wrong with her? Maybe her Mom was right...she didn't talk very much, only with Danny and Tucker, but yet lately she had been having trouble talking to them. It was annoying the hell out of her, yet she just couldn't do it. Talking to Danny about her parents was hard...she thought he'd just think of her as stupid. Well, she was stupid, for letting her parents have an effect on her grades and her personal life. What was _wrong_ with her?  
  
Curling up on her bed with her knees close to her chest, Sam closed her eyes. She felt so alone and so guilty. It was her fault she was feeling alone, if she'd just swallowed her pride and told Danny about her parents fighting and how much it was killing her, she wouldn't have to feel so horrible. She knew he'd be there, she knew it, but she couldn't tell him, something inside her just wouldn't let him. Part of her was screaming at her, telling her she was being stupid and foolish, yet another part didn't want to bother her friend with her troubles. Danny was too busy; he didn't need Sam's melodramatic self wallowing after him.  
  
A silver gleam caught her eye, coming from her desk. It was her sharp pencil blade—and it was almost teasing her, daring her to pick it up. For a moment she actually contemplated using it as a cheap way out, just a few cuts and maybe she'd feel better. But the thought quickly vanished from her mind. For one thing, she didn't have enough guts to cut, and for another, she found it somewhat stupid and foolish. Turning her back from the blade, she sighed a deep, shaky breath and closed her eyes.  
  
She was nine and her parents and she had gone to one of those orchards during the fall. Her father had picked her up and put her on the hayride, then he helped her mother up and all three of them were on the hayride. Her mother laughed and a gentle breeze drifted Mrs. Manson into her Mr. Manson's arms. Sam tasted her candy apple, and all three of them smiled and were at peace for one long moment that seemed to last forever.  
  
_Crash. Scream. Yell. Cry. Swear. Slam._ Gone.  
  
A lone tear traveled down Sam's face as she hugged her knees closer to her chest, wishing she was little again. When things were easier, when playing princess was all that mattered. Back when she could tell Danny anything. Back when her parents were happy. Back when she was happy. Back when everything was..._beautiful_.

** . . . . . . . . . . . .**  
  
Sam watched Danny from afar at his locker, putting his books away on Monday morning. He took of his head and shook his head, his black hair tousled and messy, making him look windswept. Sighing, she wished she hadn't been so mean to him Saturday night. He'd tried calling her on Sunday, but she wouldn't pick up, wanting to just be alone. She felt so guilty, so stupid. Taking a deep breath, she held her books under her right arm and made her way up to Danny, weaving in and out of the junior mass.  
  
"Hey," she said softly, leaning against the lockers beside his locker. He looked at her and frowned, but his eyes lit up.  
  
"Hey," he said, rather distantly. Sam inwardly cringed. He had every right to be pissed at her...she had acted like a total jerk and completely immature, hell, she'd even be furious with herself. But she knew Danny, and she knew he'd forgive her so quickly he'd forget why she was even mad. That's what she liked about Danny...he rarely held a grudge. Unlike her, who wasn't so forgiving.  
  
"Listen," she started. "I'm sorry about the way I acted the other night. It was stupid of me to act that way. I—"  
  
Danny held up his hand and sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I was totally in your space and I knew you didn't feel like talking about whatever was going on...I'm sorry I was so demanding. I can be thick-headed, and I was such a moron."  
  
Sam shook her head stubbornly. "No, it's my fault, I'm sorry."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry, so shut up," Danny said.  
  
"No, I'M sorry, so _you_ shut up," Sam snapped. Danny stood there a moment, kind of glaring at her, and then grinned, shaking his head and closing his locker. Sam grinned also; glad Danny wasn't mad at her anymore.  
  
"You're retarded," he said, as they made their way to homeroom.  
  
"Eh, what can you do, right," Sam laughed. Danny was glad to have Sam laughing. Even if it was for a second. He still wanted to know what was going on, but he'd wait until she was ready...or at least a few more hours. The bell rang, and Sam entered homeroom after Danny, glad she was talking to him again, but straining herself to smile. It was hard putting on a front, and Sam was afraid that front would be crumbling soon.

**. . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Hey guys. Thanks so much for the reviews! I wasn't expecting that much feedback. Holler. Thanks to: _getfuzzyfan04, Ryo's destiny, Moody Maud, Snow Owl Queen, Fox of Light, Danni-2005, lightning streak, Coldplayer813, Mujitsu Yume, RainbowSerenity._ Thanks so much for reviewing, it keeps me writing! It's inspiration. Anyways, I hope you all liked this chapter, it was a bit shorter, yes, but I'm exhausted, worked all day today. :) Anyways, thanks again! Love and Strawberries, The **Good **Girl.**


	4. It Hurts

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**Author Note: **Hey guys. Okay, so I just want to clear something up real quick. I hope I'm not making Sam's parents sound like villains. They aren't supposed to be some mean, horrible, cruel parents. They are just going through a lot with each other, and they are just disconnected from their daughter. They don't have a solid relationship with her, that's all. I don't want them to be evil or anything. That's all! :) I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Disclaimer: **Eh, nothing's changed yet...I still don't own anything except my story. Le sigh...

**. . . . . . .**

Danny watched Sam carefully across from him as they sat in their English class, her face set in a determined stance, and she scribble away. When she truly put her mind to something, Sam totally zoned out and was oblivious to everything going on around her. Currently, she was working very hard on their English In-Class Essay they were to hand in that day. Danny didn't know why she was working so hard, she had never worked hard before to earn her good grades, and his brow knit in confusion. Shrugging, he set back to his own essay, but found it hard to concentrate.

Her eyes were still dead. That's what he worried about all day in school. When she smiled, she smiled only with her mouth and not her eyes, and it pained Danny. What was going on? _When_ would she tell him? It was driving him mad, insane, it was like he needed to know or else he wouldn't be content. Knowing his best friend was going through something and he couldn't be there for her killed him, and he had to remind himself to not become angry with Sam. She didn't mean to put barriers up, they were almost natural, second nature, and he couldn't necessarily blame her, but his patience was dwindling away. It wasn't fair to him, it really wasn't.

The fourth period bell rang, signaling the end of the day and Danny looked up, bewildered. How had ninety minutes flown by so incredibly fast? Had he been daydreaming that long? Looking down at his poorly written Essay which barely filled half the page, Danny grimaced. Looking back up at Sam, he saw her smiling, satisfied with her two-page Essay, a little gleam coming back into her eyes. He sighed, frustrated with himself, and gathered his books. Sam looked at him questionably, but stapled her paper, heading to the door. Danny followed suit and caught up with Sam in the hallway as they made their way to their lockers.

"I totally flunked," Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was so out of it...dammit, I really needed a decent grade. Unlike you, who aced it yet again."

Sam looked over to Danny and rolled her eyes. "I needed that grade just as much as you did...my grade is slipping in that class like you don't even know." Sam frowned, as Danny and she turned a corner. Danny looked at her and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why are your grades slipping?" Danny asked. It was true; Sam's grades were always very exceptional. Some parents only dreamed of having their child do that good. Whatever Sam was hiding was no doubt affecting her grades now, and pretty soon it'd be affecting her just as badly. Danny saw Sam's eyes working up about a million excuses and he wanted to yell so badly. Why can't she just tell me the truth? He thought bitterly.

"Oh," Sam said nervously, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. "Eh, I've been kind of distracted I guess...haven't had much sleep." She hadn't lied, no, but vagueness was just as bad. Damn vagueness. It left Danny more confused then before. He decided to let it go, and shrugged. Finally reaching his locker, Sam waited for him to grab his bag and hoodie, so they could go to her locker, and then the two of them could walk home. Hopefully Danny wouldn't try to pry too much, Sam wasn't sure she could keep making up excuses.

**. . . . . . .**

"So," Sam sad, gladly changing the subject as they walked down the sidewalk, the November chill causing Sam to pull out her gloves and slip them on, hiding her fingers from the cold. "When are you going to get your car back?" Danny looked over at Sam miserably and Sam grinned.

"I got the bill yesterday," Danny said, grimacing. "It's going to cost me five-hundred dollars. Do you know how much that is? I don't have five hundred dollars! I make what—eight dollars an hour at the deli and I only work four nights a week—this is going to kill me. My mom and dad have refused to help me pay. They say it's my fault I crashed into that damn pole."

Sam giggled at the memory. It had been in September and late one night, when Sam, Tucker and Danny were extremely bored and decided to go for a spin. Granted, they'd had a few drinks and weren't exactly all there, but one thing led to another and Danny had crashed his car into a pole a few blocks from his house. His parents weren't exactly pleased...but they hadn't noticed the three sixteen year olds had been drinking. Thank God for that too...Danny never wanted to drink alcohol again, for a _long_ time.

"It's not funny!" Danny shrilled. How could she laugh at his misfortune? "It's not _your _car I wrecked."

Sam continued to giggle. "Thank God..." Danny rolled his eyes but smirked nonetheless. He was glad to be back in a light mood with Sam...all these suspicions and anxiety had him slowly slipping into a slight depression. He hadn't heard her giggle in so long, and her laugh hadn't graced his ears for even longer. A sixteen year old boy could only take so much frowns and moods...yet he still yearned to know Sam's secret, which was so ironic about the whole situation. Sighing inwardly, Danny wondered when their lives had turned so complicated. Sam noticed his change and frowned as the two of them continued to make their way down the sidewalk.

"Something bothering you, Danny?" She asked. Danny looked at her and smiled tiredly. How could he tell her she was bothering him by keeping things from him? He didn't want to risk getting into a fight again. So he shrugged, and rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his that Sam was beginning to grow quite fond of, truth be told.

"Er, no...listen, you want to come over for a bit? My mom and dad are out, so it's just me and Jazz," Danny said. He really wanted to probe Sam some more, get her to open up to him, and he really wanted to spend more time with her. It had been a while since the two of them had just hung out, been laid-back together. He looked at Sam hopefully.

Sam looked thoughtful. She definitely didn't want to go home, and she always felt so warm and safe in Danny's house. But that also meant he would no doubt question her more, and she didn't know if she was ready to open up yet. She still felt embarrassed about making such a big deal about her parents, and she wasn't so sure Danny would understand what she was going through. His own parents hardly ever fought, and when they did, it was mindless bickering about who forgot to take out the trash, or something like that. Despite Danny's being a halfa, nothing really ever was extreme in his life, and he certainly held no deep dark secrets, except being part ghost. And even that he had Sam and Tucker by his side. She noticed Danny was looking at her kind of weird, and she realized she had spaced out. Snapping back into reality, Sam grinned at him.

"Yeah, sure."

**. . . . . . .**

Sam lay sprawled across Danny's bed, staring at his ceiling, memorizing every crack and crevice like she so often did with her own ceiling. Her algebra book was opened next to her, but she hadn't glanced at it in several minutes...she could care less what the book had to say. Losing all interest in her homework, she lay there, enjoying the silence as Danny worked on his European Studies Essay at his desk. The room was so peaceful and Sam felt so...safe. Danny's bed smelled exactly like him, and the scent immediately put her at ease, as she played with a corner of his comforter. It'd been so long since Sam had peace, where no one was yelling at her or at each other, where there was no tension, where there was no threat of a door slamming, of something crashing.

She sighed to herself and her eyes fluttered shut as her mind took flight. If only she could always stay right there in that moment, where everything was certain, where she could just lie forever inside herself and dream all of her problems away. No one prodded her for information regarding her state, no one made her talk, no one made her do anything, she was just herself and that was that. Danny's window was cracked a bit open, and a gentle breeze played across her face, causing her comfort level to only increase. She felt tingly inside for some reason, and she didn't know what it was. Perhaps, it was because she wasn't at home, in her bed, but instead at Danny's house, where her parents didn't seem to exist. Where everything was okay, where people were actually happy, instead putting on fake smiles to fool the world.

Sam inwardly cried, frustrated. She hated putting a front on for her friends, for everyone. They just didn't get it. She knew her parents' fighting was not really as a big a deal as it felt, but she hated herself. Hated herself for making it such a damn big deal and affecting her the way it did. She hated how she couldn't open up, not just about her parents', but about anything. How she could never open up to Danny anymore, how she was growing apart from her best friend, apart from Tucker, everybody. She was losing herself, and why? Because she just couldn't deal with anything anymore. The blade on her desk was looking more appetizing every minute, and she didn't know why she suddenly had so much hate, so much angst. She hated waking up in the morning, going to a school filled with one-dimensional morons who couldn't give a damn about anything about themselves, about anything. She hated not making a difference in the world, hated how she was just another face in the crowd, how she fucking didn't matter. What if her life died tomorrow? She hadn't made one bit a difference, and the world go on as it always did if she wasn't there. It hurt knowing she was generic, just like everybody else. As much as she stressed being such an individual, she was nothing more than a boring, frightened, weak coward. And she knew that was all she would ever be...she couldn't even talk to her best friend anymore...Sam struggled to keep the angry tears from falling.

Danny watched Sam as she drifted off into what looked like a painful semi-sleep, and frowned. He hated seeing her like this...so tortured, so afraid...so distanced. This wasn't his best friend, the same best friend that made soup for Danny five days in a row because he had a fever he'd caught from Tucker. This wasn't the same best friend that stayed up with him until two o'clock in the morning to help him study for finals. This wasn't the same best friend that let him crawl through her window at one AM because he'd gotten locked out when his parents went away for the weekend and crash at her place. This wasn't Sam.

He didn't know what happened to Sam, but he was growing more and more worried everyday. What if she had gotten raped and was too ashamed to say anything? What if she was hurt, or sick? Danny ran his hands through his hair in frustration. There were so many what-if's, it made him so angry. Sam was slowly slipping away from him, and he was afraid he'd completely lose her. Just looking at her pale face laying on his bed, a pure look of sadness and pain on her face, made him want to scream. Here was this girl he'd been best friends with since forever, and he couldn't help her one bit. It killed him so badly.

Sam stirred and her violet eyes fluttered open. Immediately she moaned and sat up on her elbows, looking over to Danny. She looked so tired and frail that it nearly broke his heart.

"Hey Danny," she said, her voice kind of raspy from her short, restless nap. "I don't feel so good...I'm going to go head home, okay?" She really looked like she didn't feel good either. There were faint circles under her eyes, her face was pale, her complexion clammy.

"You want me to walk you home?" Danny asked, frowning. He didn't want her to walk him if she didn't feel okay. But Sam shook her head and grinned tiredly, putting her book into her bag and standing up.

"No, it's okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Bye Danny." And with that, she offered him one last grin and left his room, causing Danny to watch after her with concern.

**. . . . . . .**

**Yeah, that chapter was pretty short too. But I wanted a chapter with no drama, and just showing Danny and Sam's relationship. Let me know what you all think! Also, thanks to all who reviewed!! I appreciate it very much. Thanks to: _Sakura Scout, Moody Maud, RainbowSerenity, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, autumngold (x2), CoLdPlAyEr813, Fox of Light, Danni-2005, Mujitse Yume_. Thanks so much. :) Love and Strawberries, The **Good **Girl. **


	5. Breaking

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**Author Note:** Hey guys, sorry for the delay. Hope you like this chapter!! Not as long as I hoped, but whatever!!Anways, on with the chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own a damn thing...

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Sam gripped her pillow tightly to her chest as music blared from her stereo, drowning out anything around her. She just stared at her wall, not really thinking about anything or anyone. Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, she saw that it read ten thirty. It wasn't that late, and all of Sam' homework was finished. Sighing, she turned over to the other side and stared out her large window that reached her floor, overlooking a balcony and her backyard.

The CD that was playing in her stereo hit its last song and stopped, causing Sam to stiffen in the silence. But the silence didn't last for long. Before Sam could get up and change the CD, she heard a loud crash from below and cringed as she heard a sob then a shriek. Sam grimaced and crept over to her door. This was one of the worst fights her parents ever had. It had been going on since after dinner, when one of her father had forgotten to start the dishwasher, and then that petty argument led to one thing or another and soon it was an all out war.

Creeping past her door and down the hallway, Sam stopped at the open balcony over looking the main hallway. Slowly making her way to the edge, she knelt down and peered over the banister. Her mother and father were screaming at one another right below her, and she saw that her mother was holding a shattered vase in one hand while her father held a suitcase and his car keys in his hand.

Sam eyed the suitcase suspiciously. Every other time her father took off, he'd never had a suitcase. What did that mean? Was her father leaving for good? As much as Sam had always wished her father would leave, she never expected him to. Mr. Manson was always there, he'd always be there—he _couldn't_ leave, it just wouldn't happen.

But from the looks her mother was giving her father and the angry yells, it looked like it was going to happen most definitely.

Sam listened intently at what her mother was shrieking at her father.

"Just go Tom! I can't take it anymore! I know about your little rendezvous' with that blonde from the grocery store! Don't you play dumb with me!"

Mr. Manson shook his head angrily. "I don't know what you're talking about, honestly Susan get a hold of yourself!"

Mrs. Manson glared angrily at her husband, a glare that made the hairs on Sam's neck stand up. "You don't know what I'm talking about? _You don't know what I'm talking about?!_ What are these then _Tom? _Huh? Explain _this!_"

Mrs. Manson held out several papers in front of her, and from the looks of it, Sam figured they were bills that were sent in from Mr. Manson's credit card company. Sam winced. Did her father not expect to get caught?

The color drained from Mr. Manson's face and he looked at the papers reluctantly. "W-w-where did you get those?" he stammered, trying to keep his cool but failing miserably.

Mrs. Manson shook her head and through the papers in his face, causing him to back up, closer to the door. "Fuck you Tom. Fuck you to _hell._ You make me _sick._ Get out of my house, and don't _ever_ come back."

Mr. Manson looked angrily at his wife before his eyes flicked up to Sam's hiding spot. His eyes showed nothing but hurt and regret. Sam couldn't look at her father, so she looked at the ground, angry tears forming in her eyes.

"I love you Sammy," he said before turning and slamming the door behind him. His car started, and with one painful screech, Mr. Manson was gone.

Mrs. Manson looked up at her daughter and tears ran down her face. "Sammy," she whispered. Sam didn't know what to think. Tears were no longer forming in her eyes. Everything was hollow, so empty. She quickly slipped down the stairs and into her mother's arms, letting her mother sob on her shoulder. Sam held onto her mother, and finally the tears came. They both stood there crying, mother and daughter, wrapped in each others arms, praying they'd wake up from this nightmare.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Sam sat on her porch swing, autumn leaves swirling all around. The cold air pierced her ears and froze her nose. She watched a little girl and her dad walk down the street, the little girl giggling when her father picked her up and twirled her around. Sam continued to look at them until they were no longer in sight.

She had skipped school that day again too. Her mother had been gone when she awoke, and Sam didn't feel like going one bit. She still couldn't believe her father was really gone, and she couldn't believe he'd actually cheated on her mother. She had suspected it all along, but to have it confirmed broke her heart. She knew her parents were never really in love, at least they hadn't been for a long time, but it still hurt. It seemed everyday couples divorced. Was there any true love left in the world?

She felt so bad for her mother. Sam couldn't imagine the pain she must be feeling. To have something broken like that, a marriage was such a strong commitment, and even if her parents didn't love each other, it was still morally wrong. That was something Sam always worried about. How could she fall in love when all these horrible possibilities loomed about? Would Sam ever be happily in love? And if she was in love, would her partner desert her like her father had done to their family?

Letting out a frustrated cry, Sam leaned back on the rocking swing. Hot tears formed in her eyes. Life was so unfair sometimes. Why did parents have to fight? Not just her parents, but anyone's parents who'd ever gone through the same thing. It was horrible, wrong. If her father really loved her, he wouldn't have just left...Sam knew that was ridiculous. Of course her father loved her, but everything was just so confusing and frustrating.

Upon hearing footsteps, Sam looked up to find Danny leaning against the porch post, hands in his pockets, looking apprehensive. Sam couldn't find it in her heart to smile at him, she just looked at him. She wasn't putting on a mask anymore; she was tired of lying to her best friend.

"Missed you at school today," Danny said, shifting his footing and rubbing his neck. "Where were ya?"

Sam looked out to the gray sky. "I didn't feel good."

Danny nodded and took a step forward on the steps. He studied Sam's appearance. She didn't look good, that was for sure. She looked a mess...something was wrong, and Danny would be damned if he didn't find out what it was this time.

"How come?" Danny pressed. He wasn't being aggressive, just simply 'curious.' Sam looked at him and knew she could no longer take it. She met his blue eyes and Danny was taken aback by how dead her violet hues were.

"My dad left last night," she said flatly. "He was cheating on my mom."

Danny stood there completely dumbfounded. He stared at Sam. He didn't get her sometimes...one minute she'd rather die than let you in, and the next she said it as if she was discussing the weather. Sam continued to stare at him, and then looked back to the sky. Danny sat next to her on the swing and swallowed.

"Is this what has been bothering you?" Danny asked. "Sam—why didn't you tell me?"

Sam took a shaky breath and looked over at him. He saw just how vulnerable and lost she looked, and he wanted to hold her so bad and tell her everything was going to be okay.

"I didn't know how to tell you," she said, and tears began forming in her eyes but she tried pushing them away. "I wanted to tell you, but I was embarrassed..."

"_Embarrassed?_" Danny asked stunned. "Oh Sam...you don't ever have to be afraid or embarrassed to tell me anything...I thought you knew that."

Tears began falling down her face and Danny wrapped his arms around her, her face burying into his neck. She was trembling and that frightened Danny so badly. How bad was Sam hurting? Why wasn't she talking to him anymore? He held onto her and let her cry to him. Finally she pulled back, her arms still around his neck.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. "I'm so stupid for not telling you...it's not that big of a deal..."

"Sam, look at you!" Danny said. "It _is_ a big deal, you're shaking like mad."

Sam looked up at Danny with blurry eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "It's been going on for awhile...maybe a month...that's why I've been so distant...I'm sorry I haven't been myself Danny...it just...it hurts so bad."

Danny pulled her back into his arms and she laid her head on his shoulder, her trembling less fierce. She sighed and he rocked her back and forth, combing his hands through her hair. "Shh, it's okay..." she was still crying, Danny felt her wet tears slide down his neck, but he didn't care. "Its okay Sam, it'll be okay. I'm here, always, always here."

Sam looked up at Danny and wiped her eyes, sniffling. "Thanks," she said. "Oops...sorry for wetting your hoodie."

Danny grinned lazily and shrugged. "Eh, don't worry about it. I've got other ones...listen Sam, from now on; you have to promise you'll always tell me everything, okay? You're my best friend Sam, and you mean the world to me...I don't know what I'd do if you did something to yourself because you couldn't talk about it...okay?"

Sam nodded and hugged her knees to her chest. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you earlier. It just hurts so bad..."

Danny rubbed her back soothingly as Sam sat there, hugging her knees, tears staying in her eyes. He didn't truly understand what Sam was going through, but he was always going to be there for her, no matter what. She needed to know that. Danny wasn't going anywhere, unless Sam was by his side.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

**There it is! I hoped you liked it...sorry for the delay on this chapter. It was a bit shorter than the other ones, but eh...finally Sam opened up, right? Thanks so much for the reviews!! I appreciate every one!! Thanks a bunch to: _Hiyume, Moody Maud, Sakura Scout, Ryo's destiny, Danni-2005, Fox of Light, AbsentAngel, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Mujitsu Yume. Thanks everybody!! Love ya all!! Strawberries for everyone!!! Love and Strawberries, The _**Good**_ Girl._**


	6. Ghost Turkey Stuff

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**Author Note: **Okay, this chapter is totally lame, but I wanted a chapter with as little possible drama as I can do...there's still some angst, but hell, angst is just so...addicting. Ha, we all have it. Anyways, this chapter is much shorter than I would have liked, but I've been **super** busy, it's not even funny. So I'm probably not going to be updating as frequently...this is long past due time anyways, this chapter. So next chapter will probably be posted some time next week or even maybe in two weeks...school's starting soon, you know? Damn school....

**Disclaimer: **I hate Butch Hartman.

* * *

Inhaling the comforting and fresh scent of Danny, Sam immediately relaxed as she lay across his bed, hugging his pillow to her face. Danny's scent always brought relaxation and comfort to her; it was just something that happened. Whenever she would hug him, or brush past him, she could smell him and automatically feel at ease. What exactly did that mean? Sure, she'd smelled nice things before, but it was different with Danny. It was long she longed to be in his arms always and have his scent constantly around her.

Sam immediately through his pillow to the head of the bed and groaned. No, she was _not_ falling for her best friend. It was impossible, out of the question, and horrible timing. Sam didn't have time to deal with a crush, if a crush it was, she had too much on her mind. She hadn't seen her father for over three weeks, and now, on Thanksgiving, she hadn't seen him either. A few days after Sam had confided in Danny, his parents had asked to speak to him in private one night. They told Danny everything Sam had told him—well, they told him Sam's dad had left. Mrs. Manson had told them, and they planned on telling Danny. Danny went along with it and didn't tell them Sam had already told him—he knew that was just between Sam and him. Sam hadn't been happy when she found out her mother had told other people—but the Fenton's were like her second family. So, instead of eating Thanksgiving dinner just Sam and her mom, the Fenton's had invited them over and Sam was thankful the tension was barely there. Her father was not brought up once.

"Do you suddenly not like my pillow?" Danny asked, raising his eyebrow from where he was sitting at his desk, looking through random CD's. The two of them had escaped their families and the hectic chaos of setting the table and carving the turkey, before dinner. Sam looked up to Danny and grinned, sitting up. She smoothed out her skirt and picked a lint off of her sweat.

"Nope, I was just thinking about...things," she said, bringing her feet close to her and holding her knees, looking at Danny playfully and grinning. She couldn't believe she actually thought about having a crush on Danny—it was almost laughable. It just seemed so...well...there. Danny had been there for her since they were kids, and she didn't know what she was feeling. All she knew was that if she didn't have Danny in her life, she doubted she'd be able to come through in the end. "And marveling in the fact that we have a four day weekend!"

Danny laughed and rolled up the sleeves to his button up shirt, the first couple of buttons undone and his undershirt visible. "Yeah, but it's not like there's anything to do..."

Sam grumbled. "And even if there _was_ anything to do, you still don't have your car back."

Danny grinned and his face lit up, causing Sam to frown. "See, that's where you are wrong. I'm getting it back tomorrow! The called yesterday—I forgot to tell you."

Sam squealed and sighed, flinging her arms out on the bed and she flopped back in relief. "Thank goodness...dude, I was seriously starting to hate walking to school in the morning...and now we can _go places._"

Danny snorted, leaning back in his chair and throwing the CD's he was skimming through aside. "Like where? There's only the mall, bowling alley, movies, the bookstore, um I don't even know."

"We could go see a movie! Me, you and Tucker! The three of us haven't hung out in awhile, it'd be nice," Sam said, suddenly feeling ten times better. She needed to keep busy, to have plans, to keep her mind off her father and his 'girlfriend.' Danny looked thoughtfully at Sam and shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess it'd be pretty cool," he said. "Hey—sounds like all the noise down there stopped. I think it's time to eat."

Sam listened and nodded. "Yeah—I don't here your mom yelling at your dad for carving the turkey into a ghost anymore..."

Danny and Sam smirked, and then headed out of his room, shutting the door softly. Indeed, the turkey had been carved into a demented looking poultry ghost, making it very hard for Sam to not laugh when Mrs. Fenton handed her a slice of the 'ghost's' eyeball. Danny, however, was not so subtle about it, and laughed out loud when he saw it, causing his mother to swat him up side the head.

"It's not funny Danny!" she scolded, as Sam and Jazz began to crack up. "You're father is a little _too_ obsessed to be healthy. No stop laughing—oh all three of you! Let's say grace before the food gets cold!"

Sam took her mother's hand which was on her right and Danny's in her left, and closed her eyes as they said grace. Sam was thankful to be in the presence of those she loved and who loved her back...not having her father around reduced a lot of the tension, though something disturbing still penetrated the air. As Sam said grace with everyone, she also silently prayed that she'd get through this, that they'd all get through this, together and strong. Sam vowed then and there that when she grew up and had her own family, she'd never, _ever_, make the mistakes her parents had. The mistakes that had corrupted the person she'd grown to be.

* * *

"HA! I _so_ beat you!" Sam laughed victoriously as she sunk yet again Danny's ship as they sat in the Fenton's living room playing Battleship. Her mom and the Fenton's plus Danny's grandparents were in the kitchen having coffee and desert after dinner, while Jazz sat on the couch and read a magazine, occasionally paying attention to their game.

"That's the eighth time you've beat me," Danny sighed, sitting his back against the couch and taking a bite of his cookie on the napkin beside him. "Let's play something else—please."

Sam frowned and put her head on her hands. "Oh come on Danny, just because I'm _so_ much better than you at this game, doesn't mean you have to be a sore loser."

Danny smirked and closed his battleship and placed it into the box. "I'm not a sore loser, you're just a sore winner, _loser._"

Jazz rolled her eyes from the couch and looked down at her little brother. "Oh come on Danny, she's better at the game than you, fair and square. Stop your whining."

Danny rolled his eyes at his sister and looked at Sam, who was grinning. "I'm done playing games with you, you battleship whore. Let's go for a walk or something before it gets dark—some fresh air. Burn off those calories, you know."

Sam snorted and put away her own battleship and sighed. "Okay...a walk sounds nice. Hey Jazz, you want to come with us?"

Jazz looked up from her magazine and shook her head. "Nah, you took go ahead. I'm reading this article on 'How to Tell What a Troubled Mind Looks Like.' It's complete bullshit, but it's pretty funny. You two go ahead."

Sam grinned at Jazz and grabbed her pea coat from the couch. Danny grabbed his hoodie. "Mom, Dad! Me and Sam are going for a walk—be back soon!" Then the two of them headed out the door, into the cold evening.

"Oh Jesus it's cold," Sam muttered once they started off down the sidewalk. "What possessed you to make us take a walk, huh?"

Danny shrugged and grinned, sticking his hands into his hoodie to keep them warm. "Just wanted to get out. Can't take being in my house for very long."

Sam grinned as they made their way down the street, the cold penetrating their skin and their minds. Sam felt extremely confused lately, and she couldn't help it. Danny was always there for her, yet she felt she could never repay him the same way he had...he'd always been there for her, and she'd always been there for him, but it was something more. It was like she wasn't whole if she wasn't with Danny...if Danny was upset, she was upset. If Danny was safe and happy, Sam felt safe and happy...it was strange, but she couldn't place it...it was like they held that ethereal connection only they knew and could feel.

Danny looked over at Sam who looked deep in thought. He frowned...ever since she'd confided in him; she'd been rather awkward around him. As if she'd discovered something knew or as if she was afraid he'd think her foolish or weak. It was weird...it was like she was almost embarrassed about confiding in him...as if her parents fighting and her father being gone for a long time was something to be embarrassed of...as if she was dwindling the situation. Sam always did that...she always had those barriers, of course, but she always made her 'problems' to be out as if they were less...as if it was no big deal...when in truth, it was taking over her.

Sam felt Danny's gaze and she couldn't help but blush. Why was she blushing, exactly? She cursed it, but turned to look at him as they continued to make their way to...nowhere.

"What?" she asked. Danny shrugged and grinned lazily. Sam rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smirk. "So...where are you _going_ anyway Danny?"

Danny looked at Sam and raised his eyebrows. "I don't _know_ Sam...it's incredibly freezing...let's go back to my house...this was such a bad idea, sorry..."

Sam giggled and they turned around, making their way back to his house...Despite the obvious waste of time, something about just being with Danny and doing pointless, stupid things made Sam get all happy immediately and weirdly giddy. It was like...she almost had a _crush_. Sam didn't have time for a crush right then, especially with Danny Fenton, the boy she'd known since she was four! It was insane...stupid, pathetic, _amusing_, hell it was even a bit sad. But she couldn't help it...what if she did like Danny? It would be weird, awkward that was for sure...he didn't like her that way anyway, so what was the point in getting all worked up about it? Shaking all those thoughts out of her head as the two of them turned onto Danny's street, Sam stuck her hands in her pockets, guarding them from the cold.

"I can't fucking _wait_ until you get your car back."

Danny just smirked.

* * *

**Hey errybody! Hoped you liked this chapter...still, not as long as I would have liked but it took me forever and I don't care if it was pointless, it was just showing a little somethin' somethin' you know...holla! DxS is FiNaLly coming into play, right? But it's not much, and I don't intend it to be...but whatever...this fic isn't like about DxS romance it's more about DxS friendship...ya know? But there's still a little somethin' somethin'...hehe. Anyways, thanks to all my reviewers!! BIG _JUICY_ STRAWBERRIES FOR ALL OF YOU!!!! grins evilly and throws strawberries about Thanks to: _Annie, Moody Maud, Ryo's destiny, autumngold, Danni-2005, LeoDiabla, Sakura Scout, Fox of Light, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Chrisoriented, Starbolt1218. THANKS EVERYONE!! Love and Strawberries, The _**Good**_ Girl. _**


	7. A crush? Nooooo!

**Author Note: Sorry for the delay ya'll. Nothing like a little back to school writers block, right. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter!!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!! Holler!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own a damn thing but the clothes on my back, which I don't even own!!**

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As Sam stood in front of her mirror the next day, after Thanksgiving, she really, really wished she had more girl friends. It wasn't that she didn't love Danny and Tucker more than anything on earth, because she'd die for them in a heartbeat, but when it came down to the technical things...it just wasn't the same. She didn't have anyone to giggle with and have sleepovers with and gossip about boys with or just be silly and stupid with. Sure, she had slept over the guys' house before, but it just wasn't the same...the closest thing to a girl friend Sam had was Jazz. It did have its advantages, being that Jazz was two years older and was experienced and gave Sam good advice, but they weren't best friends, and Jazz had graduated. What Sam needed was someone her age, someone at her school, someone she could just be herself with.

Glancing at her reflection in the mirror Sam sighed. She hadn't changed much since freshman year. She'd grown taller, that was about it. She was no longer short at five foot two, but stood gracefully at five seven. Her hair was the same midnight black and still fell just under her jaw a few inches. Her eyes were still that rare shade of violet. Studying herself, Sam reasoned that the only difference was her height and the matured look she'd grown into. She never really cared about the way she looked—it didn't faze her. But as she grew and got older, her appearance seemed to slightly faze her, and it was at these times that Sam craved a female friend more than anything.

Sam checked the time on her clock on the bedside table and quickly stuffed a few bucks into her skirt pocket. Danny was picking her up in a few minutes with Tucker and the three of them were headed over to the movies. Sam smiled softly to herself as she clipped her bob-styled hair to the side and grabbed her house keys before heading down the stairs. It felt so long ago the three of them had just hung out, laid-back. The three of them were becoming so caught up in their own lives it was hard to be apart of each other's. Danny was always fighting ghosts and working at the deli, Tucker was always working and helping out his grandparents, and Sam...well Sam was busy throwing herself pity parties. Where had the time gone?

But they had finally started to cut down on their own time and spend time again with each other. Sam loved spending time with her two funny yet dorky friends. No matter what happened, Sam knew nothing would change the fact that they each loved each other and would always be there for each other, no matter what, even if that was incredibly corny.

Walking into the kitchen, Sam saw her mom sitting at the table, filling out some paperwork and drinking a cup of black coffee. Mrs. Manson had circles under her eyes but she didn't look tired. Mrs. Manson always put up that front—she was hard, cold, and determined. Sam was much the same way as her mother, but she didn't keep such a thick layer of ice around her heart as Mrs. Manson did.

When Sam entered the kitchen Mrs. Manson looked up at her daughter briefly. "Where are you going?"

"To the movies with Danny and Tuck," Sam said, walking over to the counter and taking a mint from her purse. She never went anywhere with her purse, but it held almost everything she needed. "I'll be home later—we might get something to eat afterwards."

Mrs. Manson studied her daughter again and didn't say anything. She returned to her paperwork and her hard expression returned her dark eyes brooding and deep. Sam studied her mother and frowned. No matter what, Sam just didn't feel a connection with the woman in front of her. The closest she ever came to feeling something remotely close to a connection with her mother was the night her father left, and they had stood crying and holding on to each other. But after that, it was back to the way things always were. Leaving notepads on the counter as means of communicating, family dinners consisting of fending for yourself, eating whatever was in the fridge. The only time Sam ever saw her mother was before she went to bed at night, when her mom came home from the office.

"What are those papers?" Sam asked, looking down at the papers that littered the table. Her mother looked up at her and sighed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"The divorce papers."

Sam almost choked on her mint. She looked up at her mom, her eyes wide. Divorce papers? Her parents were getting divorced? Sam felt stupid for being so shocked, she knew her father was cheating on her mother and she'd be stupid to stay with him, but still...it was like an ice cold wave that Sam was pulled under. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Sure, she'd wanted her parents to divorce but now that they were actually going through it...it was just heart breaking. Fucking heart breaking.

"Sam—is something wrong?" Mrs. Manson looked up at her daughter's vacant and hollow expression and frowned. Sam snapped out of her daze and looked at her mom, about to answer, when she heard a beep from outside. Quickly pulling herself together, Sam shook her head.

"That's my ride—be home later." And before she could look at her mom anymore, Sam quickly ran out of the house, falling apart with every step.

* * *

"So, what movie are we seeing?" Tucker asked from the front passenger seat as Sam looked out the window from the back, trying her best to put on her façade and not fall apart. She felt so stupid once again for making it such a big deal, but it really did hurt that her parents were divorcing. Marriage was supposed to be eternal, forever; did that not mean anything to her parents? If they didn't love each other, why had they gotten married in the first place? What if all love was like this? What if Sam would never be happy? All of these questions gave Sam a headache and she leaned her head against the backseat, trying to stay calm. _Tonight is going to be fun_, she thought. _I've just got to pull myself together._

"Um," Danny started, checking in his rearview mirror to see if any cars were coming before he turned onto Main Street. "I don't know...whatever's there I guess. What movie do you want to see Sam?"

Sam snapped out of her daze for the second time that night and looked at Tucker's expectant face looking back at her. She grinned and shrugged. "That sequel to Mad Malicious is playing. I've never seen the first one, but the only other movies that are playing are sappy romance movies, I am _not_ in the mood for one of those."

Danny smirked and shrugged. "Whatever you say."

Sam looked back out the window and sighed. The only reason she wanted to see that stupid action filled brain-less no good for nothing movie Mad Malicious or whatever was because she needed to zone out. If she saw a movie that actually made her feel something, she'd be a mess, what with her emotions already screwed up enough as it was. She didn't know what was happening to her—Sam hated her parents always fighting, yet when they decide to divorce, she wanted nothing more than for them to stay together. What kind of sick twisted fuck was she?

Sam was so out of it she didn't even realize when Danny pulled into the parking lot of the theater. About to ask why they had stopped, she realized they reached their destination and sighed. Maybe going out wasn't such a good idea. She didn't want to seem miserable and ruin Danny and Tucker's good mood. Putting on her best fake smile, she turned to her two best friends as the approached the ticket counter and grinned.

"Okay guys, I'm not playing babysitter so no throwing wet gummy bears at the screen, okay?" Sam smirked at her best friends as they pretended to feign hurt.

"How dare you think me and Danny are _that_ immature!" Tucker exclaimed, causing Sam to grin. "Besides, I'm older than you both, I turned seventeen a month ago losers."

Danny rolled his eyes and paid for the tickets. "You may be the oldest, but you act the youngest."

Tucker put a hand over his heart. "Ooh, Danny that hurt. Right here."

Danny smirked and the three friends made their way to the concession stand. The movie theater was ungodly crowded with teenagers that Sam was surprised they'd managed to buy tickets at all. It seemed there was nowhere else that the teens of her hometown could go on a Saturday night. Just as Sam received her coke from the guy across the counter, a giggly accented voice made her cringe as she turned her head to see Paulina, waiting in line for the very same movie as them, flirting with a few guys who were seniors at their school. Sam narrowed her eyes at the guy-magnet. It seemed every guy was fawning over her long, black hair and bright eyes, her pouty lips and curvy figure. Sam had never been jealous of Paulina, but it just bugged her how everyone seemed to worship a girl with looks, but a brain the size of a peanut. Sam had never been one to worry about looks, but compared to Paulina and about every other girl at Casper High, she always felt overlooked. Sighing, Sam waited until Danny and Tucker had gotten their drinks and watched Danny to see if he would look at Paulina. She didn't know why she was looking to see if he fawned over her, but she was relieved when he didn't glance her way, be it he just didn't see her, she didn't care. Sam didn't know why but lately she'd been thinking about Danny in more ways than she thought healthy. Shrugging it off as teenage hormones mixed with a healthy dosage of angst, Sam grinned at her two friends.

"I can't believe we're actually seeing this movie," Sam grumbled as they made their way in line, just a few back from Paulina and her admirers. "It's so stupid."

Tucker quirked an eyebrow as he popped popcorn into his mouth. "You're the one who wanted to see it," he said, a few pieces of popcorn flying out of his mouth. "Oops, sorry Danny."

Danny cocked his head back slightly and smirked. "Right."

Sam took a sip from her drink and leaned against the wall. "I only wanted to see it because there was nothing else to see Tucker. Oh well, I'd rather be out than home."

Danny glanced at Sam fleetingly. She seemed okay, but something was bothering her, he could tell. She'd been getting better at covering her emotions, and right now she was putting on a pretty good act. Had something else happened at home? Had her father come back? Something wasn't right, but he figured he'd pry it out of her later. It wasn't the time or the place to interrogate Sam about her home life.

Sam sighed and glanced at the clock. The movie would start in a few minutes, and pretty soon she could just forget about everything and zone out. Hopefully Danny wouldn't question her at all, and she'd be let off the hook. She wasn't in the mood for his interviews...honestly, she didn't know what the hell was the matter with her. Was she seriously that fucked up?

* * *

"Oh my God, this movie blows," Sam groaned as she sank lower into her seat between Tucker and Danny. She went to take a sip of her drink but found it to be completely empty. Growling, she leaned her head back and stared at the absolutely pointless explosion on screen taking place at a bank in the city. What did that have to do with the plot line? Nothing! Stupid Movie Theater, swallowing up poor teenager's money for such a flimsy movie. Danny looked down at Sam and smirked, but flicked his eyes back to the movie. He thought Sam looked cute when she was all agitated and sarcastic. He didn't know why he thought that, and he kind of felt sick for thinking that Sam could be 'cute' in any way, but yet he couldn't help it. He really needed to get a hold of himself. Sure, he was a sixteen year old guy, but he still couldn't shake the fact that he was developing a crush on his best friend. Yes that's right, Danny Fenton was freely admitting to himself that he was beginning to see Sam in a new light. And he wasn't exactly pleased about it. He wouldn't ever let anyone know, but then there it was. Those stupid butterflies infested his stomach whenever Sam giggled or smiled, and he found himself subconsciously glancing at her in more ways than he'd like. Dammit... he couldn't like Sam. It would change everything if it kept up. He swallowed and took a sip from his drink, eyes glued to the screen, though not understanding a damn thing.

Sam shifted uncomfortably in her chair and rested her arm on the armrest, squinting her eyes at the screen trying to decipher just exactly what was going on. Sam knew that coming was a mistake—couldn't they have just gone bowling or something? Sam leaned over to Danny and whispered in his ear, "How much longer do you think this will last?"

Danny looked over at Sam and tried to hide the chills that ran up his spine when she whispered in his ear. He coughed nervously and checked his watch. "Uhm...a little longer. Why—you got somewhere to be?"

Sam smirked and took a sip from his soda. "Nope! I just can't take much more of this!" She giggled and laid her head on her hand, watching the screen and wondering when she would be put out of her misery.

Danny flicked his eyes once again to the screen and sighed. Why did she have to do that to him? Why did she have to act all pissed one minute and then giggly the next? It just made her all the cuter. And why did he have to start feeling these things for her _now_? He was so confused with everything that he just didn't know what to do. He would _not_ tell Sam how he felt because that was just plain stupid, and he would keep his feelings to himself. But how much longer could he go without cracking? Damn teenage boy-ness, damn it to hell.

Finally the last explosion which was also extremely pointless came to an end and the heroine came forth to claim her love, everything was happy, and the end credits began to roll. Sam squealed with delight and sat up, grinning from ear to ear.

"It's over! It's really _over!_ I think I'm gonna cry!" She smiled broadly and sighed, turning to Tucker and Danny.

"If you hated that movie so much," Tucker began, getting up and filing into the mad rush to get out of the theater. "Why on earth did you want us to see it?"

Sam rolled her eyes and looked at her friend. "I didn't want to see it, but what else could we see, hm?"

"We could have gone bowling!" Danny threw in, looking around the mass crowd towards the exit. Sam rolled her eyes and he smirked. "Damn, it's gonna take forever to get out of here. I really wish I could just fly out."

Tucker and Sam looked at Danny expectantly and he raised his eyebrows. "I'm not going to fly out you psychos!"

Sam sighed as the crowd moved a little further up. "What's the good in having powers if you can't use them?" Tucker nudged Sam in the back and glared at her.

"Would you shut up? There's like a million people around here, they can hear you."

Sam rolled her eyes and gave the person in front of her a little shove. They were going too slow for her taste. She turned to Tucker and Danny. "I think I might be claustrophobic."

Tucker gave Sam a dull look. "You can't 'think' you're claustrophobic. You either are or you aren't."

Sam sighed, looking defeated. "I guess you're right. But I sure as hell am impatient. See you two suckers at the finish line." With that, Sam gave her friends a wink and ran into the crowd. Many cries of anger could be heard as the girl weaved her way out of the theater. Tucker looked at Danny and raised his eyebrows.

"She's fucking insane."

* * *

Sam watched Tucker jog up to his front door and wave goodbye to his friends in Danny's car on the street. Danny waved back, and started toward Sam's house. Overall, the night had been pretty okay. While the movie sucked, they had fun together and afterwards at Decker's Pizza. But something had been missing...it just hung in the air, very thick. Like a foreshadowing-type thing, but Danny had no idea what it meant. Sighing, he glanced over at Sam as he turned onto her street.

Sam leaned her head against the back seat of the car and closed her eyes as they made their way to her house. She didn't want to leave Danny's car, she didn't want to move, and she didn't want to do anything. She just wanted to stay there forever with him, and drive on and on for endless hours, not worrying about a damn thing. Why couldn't life be like this all the time? Just Sam and Danny, without a care in the world, riding along, at peace...

Sam felt herself slipping off into a sleep when the car stopped and her eyes flew open. They had arrived at her house. Yawning, she sat up and stretched her arms high above her head. She looked at Danny and grinned lazily.

"Thanks for the ride," she said. "Sorry I was kind of miserable tonight...it wasn't really a good night."

Danny frowned and rested his hands on the steering wheel. "What happened?"

Sam sighed and looked up at her house. No lights were on, giving her home a creepy old mansion look. It looked cold and alone and it depressed her. Sometimes she wished she had a big family and lived in a small, cozy house, just to feel like a home. The tall brick structure in front of her was anything but a home; merely a place to live. Sam looked up into Danny's blue eyes and she couldn't help but melt.

"Um...it's nothing really," Sam mumbled. The last thing she wanted to do was dramatize something as trivial as her parent's getting a divorce. Yet still, it burned a place in her heart she never knew she had for her parents. "My...um...my mom told me my parents are getting a divorce."

Danny's eyes grew big and he studied Sam. "Oh," he stammered, not really knowing what else to say. He didn't want to say 'I'm sorry' because frankly, he wasn't. He was sorry that Sam was hurting, but a divorce was always for the better, and Sam's parents splitting meant no more fights which meant in the long run no more hurting for Sam. And when Sam was hurting, Danny was to.

Sam flicked her violet hues up to Danny and tried to grin but failed miserably. She took a shaky breath and tried to ignore the burning sensation in her throat. "I know it's for the best and all and I've wanted my parents to divorce for so long. I don't know why I'm getting all worked up over this. Why does it hurt so bad Danny?"

Danny looked at Sam and felt so useless. He wanted to hold her and wish all her pain away, tell her everything was going to be fine. But in truth, Danny was more confused than Sam ever was. He had no idea what was going to happen, and whether or not Sam's pain would end he would never know.

"It's going to hurt," Danny said quietly. "It hurts because it's something that happens all the time but you never think it's going to happen to you. And when it does, it's scary and it hurts."

Sam nodded and sighed. Danny always said the right things. She shuddered as she looked back up to the house, dreading going inside. It looked so unwelcoming, she cruel. She vowed then and there that when she was older and was married and had a family of her own, that she would always make her home welcome and warm and full of love. She never wanted her kids going through what she was going through then, glaring up at the house she called home.

"It's late," Sam mumbled. "I better get in."

"Yeah," Danny said, sitting up and looking at the steering wheel, suddenly feeling quite awkward. "I'll give you a call tomorrow, 'k Sam?"

Sam grinned at him, nodding silently. She gave him one last tired grin and made her way into the one place she wished she didn't have to go.

Danny watched her walk into her home and his heart dropped. This crush thing was definitely _not _good.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay!!! Sadly, my 'muses' have been on a lovely little vacation and I've had writers block for some time. I just don't know where I'm going with this story. Hopefully it'll come to me and SOON!! Expect less frequent updates...school started and it's all like 'SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL' which isn't a bad thing because I heart school. I do! I don't care if that's queer, but I love the social aspect of it. Oh hell I'll hate it in a few weeks but whatever. Okay enough of my babbling. StrAwbErRieS to: _NuttyRoyale, LeoDiabla, AbsentAngel, Sakura Scout, Danni-2005, Annie, autumngold, Fox of Light, Moody Maud, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Mujitsu Yume, Stardust 16, RavenForever. _Thanks a bunch ya'll!!! Well I'm off to bed, adios!!! Adieu Adieu!! Love and Strawberries, The **Good** Girl. **


	8. A Nice Setting for Heartache

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**Author Note: **Oh my God, I'm _so_ sorry I've been nonexistant for SO LONG! I've been incredibly busy, you have NO idea! I don't get home everyday from school until after 9, and it's sooo stressful. Please, please forgive me!! I hope I haven't lost all of my reviewers....sniffles

I hope you enjoy this chapter!! A little more Danny/Sam but not as much, next chapter perhaps a bit more...hehehe. This chapter was fun to write for some reason. Anyways, I hope you accept my apology for not updating for over a month!!! AHH.

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own a DAMN thing.... sniffles

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The cold wind made Sam shiver as she walked down the vacant street, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck. The gray sky above looked down on her and she had the sense of foreboding she seemed to come accustomed to more and more each day. Brushing a strand of her black hair out of her face, she stuck her hands in her pockets and turned a corner and made her way to Danny's work at the deli. She was meeting him after he was done his shift at seven and they were going to...well, she wasn't sure what they were going to do but it was better than sitting in on a Saturday night.

Upon reaching the small deli, Danny was already outside, leaning against the light post, one foot resting behind him on the pole. His head was down, his bangs in his eyes, his hands in his fitting zipper up hoodie. He looked so moody, so edgy that Sam's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't help it—she felt like her stomach just dropped out. When he heard her footsteps he looked up, his disheveled hair just making him look even cuter than usual, and Sam offered a shaky smile, not really enjoying her new reactions toward her best friend. He grinned his lazy, lopsided grin and pushed off the pole, coming toward her.

"You look frozen," he commented, smirking as they began walking down the street. The sky was dark and gloomy, but Sam couldn't help but feel flighty—she always felt like that around Danny.

She grinned and shrugged, her breath coming out in a cold whisper. "It's like below two degrees. But it's okay. Where are we going?"

Danny shrugged and pulled out what Sam realized was a wine bottle from the pocket of his hoodie. "Look what I smuggled out from the back of the deli."

Sam took the bottle and quirked an eyebrow. "How did you get this? This is straight from Italy—have you looked at the date?! It's so old."

Danny laughed, nodding. "Yeah, I know. One of the guys who works with me was going to throw it out. He's so dumb. He thought since it's so old that it's bad. I tried to tell him that the older it is, the stronger and better, but he wouldn't listen so I took it. Plus, it's straight from Italy. My mom drank this at her wedding—she says it's delicious."

Sam grinned happily. Sam wasn't into drugs and smoking, but she drank occasionally. It wasn't like she drank to get drunk—she actually enjoyed the taste of alcohol on most occasions. She always loved wine, her parents let her drink it at dinner—a glass of wine was healthy. But Sam knew this wine was more than just a glass. She sighed.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked Danny. Danny shrugged and gave her a small glance before rubbing the back of his neck like he so often did. Sam swallowed and thought for a minute. "Hey, we can go up to the top of Brittle Hill. It's always nice up there—even in the cold. There's that weird stone structure there, too."

Danny grinned and thought about it for a second, before nodded. "Yeah, okay."

The walk to Brittle Hill was a freezing cold one. Sam kept her hands in her pea-coat pocket at all times, and her scarf tight around her neck. Danny had his zipper up Hoodie pulled tightly on him, a scarf wrapped around his neck and a beanie adorning his unkempt locks, making him look even more adorable than usual, and Sam couldn't help but feel giddy. She tried to shake off the feeling, but she just couldn't. Danny was just...she didn't even know what, but as they made their way up Brittle Hill and laid out on the large stones, staring up into the cold, dark, November sky, Sam grinned lazily. She moved closer to Danny so their bodies were touching and it was slightly warmer. A tingle shot through her body as his arm brushed hers.

"It's so cold out here," Danny breathed, taking a sip from the bottle and passing it to Sam. She took a sip and let the slightly bitter but somehow lovely taste fill her mouth and travel comfortably down her throat. She felt warmed instantly and briefly wondered if that was a sign of an alcoholic but had to laugh it off in her head.

"I like the cold," Sam commented, watching as her breath did a dance above her head. "It's better than summer and spring."

Danny laughed. "Always the cynic Sam."

Sam rolled her eyes and took another gulp from the bottle, passing it back to Danny. She sighed to herself. This was nice. No parents screaming, no dad cheating, no doors slamming, no anything save for her and Danny lying beneath the stars drinking old wine and letting everything just pass. That was the way it should always be—not a care in the world, just her and Danny. That's the way she wanted it to be.

"Sam?" Danny's voice made fidget and she glanced over at him before taking another sip of the wine.

"Hm?"

"Um...never mind." Danny sounded defeated, and annoyed. Sam sat up, holding her knees and looking down at Danny, who lie opposite of her. He looked troubled, and slightly out of it. Well, they both were kind of out of it—it was a Saturday night and they were buzzed off a few sips of Old Italian wine. If Sam wasn't feeling so weird, she would've thought the whole thing was a bit funny really. But the look in Danny's eyes told her different.

"What's wrong, Danny?" Sam asked. Normally, she would have let it go, but she tended to get slightly open and nosier when she was buzzed and or drunk. Danny sat up too, looking deep into her violet hues. She swallowed, feeing slightly uncomfortable. Danny was too close. Her breathing began to increase and she felt warm and light headed.

"Sam," Danny repeated, sounding kind of out of it. Sam grinned despite herself. Danny always got kind of weird when he was drunk. Shrugging it off, she looked down at Danny and smiled. He sat up and grinned lazily, moving closer. Sam's heart stopped beating—what was he doing? What was happening? She just kept reminding herself that he was drunk; she was drunk, that even if it did happen it wouldn't mean anything...but then why was her heart beating extremely fast?

Just as his lips were less than an inch away from her lips, he emitted a cold, crisp breath visible for them both to see. They looked at each other wide eyed, and then before they could react, there was a loud _bang_, and Sam was thrown off the large stone, hitting her head against the cold ground. Her head felt heavy as she sat up in bewilderment, looking around, and rubbing the back of her head. She looked around, but it was so dark and she couldn't see anything. She felt like crying—she was so confused.

"Danny?" She called out. There was silence. She tried to stand up but she couldn't. She felt so sick, she was afraid she would vomit at any minute. Just as she thought she couldn't take it anymore, she heard someone call out her name and looked up. Twenty or thirty feet above her Danny Phantom hovered, looking down at her anxiously.

"Sam!" he called, flying a little closer to her, but he kept looking over his shoulder. "Sam, get out of here! I need you to go get the thermos! I don't know what this ghost is—but you've got to hurry!" Sam tried to keep her eyes focused but since when had there been three Danny Phantom's?

"Okay," she nodded, standing up, but her balance was completely off. Danny's piercing green eyes in ghost mode glanced behind him just as a large, black figure flew towards him, blood red eyes hungry and fierce. Sam's blood went cold. "Danny—watch it!" But the dark ghost flew right past Danny and straight for her. Sam only gasped sharply before her whole world went black. The last thing she heard was Danny's anguished scream.

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**Much shorter than I would have liked...oh well. It's one more step closer to updating daily again. Anyways, I hope you like this! Please review, I hope I haven't lost you all!!! Next chapter I shall give full-fledged shout outs, not just list the reviewer's names. So stay tuned in for next chapter, and you'll have a nice, big shout out! :) Oh dear, again I'm sorry for my absence. Anyways, thanks to all my reviewers from last chapter! I love you guys! Youinspiritation. Here's a nice big strawberry for each of you!! Love & Strawberries, The **_Good_** Girl.**


	9. Sleep is Nice

**Author Note:** Okay, Okay. I know I said I would be updating sooner, but I didn't have any time!! I'm sooooo sorry.It's been exactly a month since I've updated last. Please oh please don't hate me. I hope I haven't lost any of my reviewers!! EEEp!!!

**Disclaimer: **I still, and never will, don't own a damn thing.

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All Sam could feel was an unbelievable painful pressure on her head as she slowly came to. She was dying—well, at least that's what it felt like. Her head was pounding unbelievably hard, and she felt like she would vomit any minute. Suddenly she wished she was unconscious again. Her eyes fluttered open and she realized she was in a hospital bed, an IV attached to her right arm. The room was dark, so she figured it was late into the night. She tried to sit up, but her body wouldn't respond to her. Growing slightly panicked, Sam's eyes flicked to a chair beside her bed, and immediately she felt relief. Danny was lying in the chair; his feet sprawled out in front of him, his neck arching uncomfortably on the wooden chair, sleeping what looked like a fitful slumber. He had several cuts and bruises on his face, and a deep cut just above his eyebrow. His hair was tousled, and he looked sallow and exhausted. Sam tried to remember anything from the previous night, but nothing came to. Then, suddenly, as if a light bulb went off in her head, Sam remembered the wine, the near kiss, the ghost, and the red eyes. She shivered despite herself and once again felt as if she would vomit.

She was so tired, her bones felt numb. Looking around the room, another figure caught her eye. Tucker was lying sprawled out on another chair in the far right corner. He adorned no bruises or cuts, but looked absolutely exhausted. Sam could have cried—she loved her friends so much. And they looked so tired—she didn't want to wake them up. They'd probably been through enough.

With a sigh of exhaustion, Sam settled back onto the itchy hospital pillows and let black overtake her world yet again.

Danny watched Sam's lifeless body fall to the ground as the black mist sailed directly through it. She looked dead—his heart stopped beating and he felt himself go completely numb. There was a trickle of blood escaping her mouth and Danny had to close his eyes for a moment before he was sure he wouldn't pass out. He wanted to fly down to her immediately but he had a ghost to take care of, and if he didn't get rid of it immediately the situation could only get worse. Danny needed no interruptions when he aided Sam.

Blue eyes met blood red ones as the ghost began to hurl itself toward Danny. Danny tried to regain his thought but he just couldn't—he felt so weak, he just wanted it all to go away—he suddenly wished then, as Sam's unconscious body lay beneath him and this ghost was about to murder him—he suddenly wished then so bad that he was a normal teenager. He wanted to worry nothing more than about grades, he wanted a girlfriend, and he wanted to just hang out with his two best friends. He sure as hell didn't want this. Not this, no, this was hell. It was beyond hell—it was a slow, tortured, never ending death, a nightmare that he'd never wake up from. Something he could never, _never _escape.

But what he needed to deal with was the ghost right now. But how the hell was he going to beat this thing if he didn't have the thermos? And he just couldn't very well run back to his house, grab it, and come back. Thinking, panicking, Danny cringed as the ghost came nearer.

"Danny Phantom," the black blur spat. Its voice was low and raspy, a voice that Danny didn't care to listen to. "I'll let you off this time, but not for long. You better believe that I'll be back...and so help me God next time—next time I won't be so nice."

Danny opened his mouth to protest, but the black blur took of into the night. What the _hell_ was that? Why had that ghost just let Danny go? And why had he even hurt Sam? And what the _hell _was going on?

Danny immediately flew down to Sam and changed back into his regular mode. He knelt down beside her, and once again felt as if he'd faint.

"Oh God please be okay," he whispered. He cradled her in his arms and felt sick. He didn't know what he would do if something bad happened to Sam...he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He felt the back of his throat close up and he closed his eyes. He needed to think clearly. Hospital. He needed to get Sam to a hospital. With that, he held her bruised and frail body close to him, changed into his intangible ghost mode, and headed for Amity Park Hospital.

The second time Sam woke up, the hospital room was dimly lit. Her head was still pounding, and she could barely open her eyes. Noticing a clock in the far corner, she read that it was seven o'clock in the evening. She had been sleeping for hours. She felt queasy and dirty—she wanted a bath incredibly bad. Trying to sit herself up, she looked around the room. Tucker was no longer in the chair sleeping, and Danny was gone too. She was slightly disappointed—she wished somebody was there, anyone, she just had to see a face, something to remind her that she wasn't sleeping still.

Trying to sit up, she found that the IV was still in her right arm. She had never had an IV in her before, and she was afraid to move and have it ripped out. She knew that was absurd, but Sam had never been in a hospital before, her being the one injured, and she couldn't help but feel scared. She felt like she was six again—all she wanted to do was run under her covers and lay there until all her troubles were swept away. But she wasn't six. And she wasn't under her covers. She was in an itchy hospital gown, the uncomfortable hospital bed making her back ache. It smelled of hospital, and she felt queasy and dirty. She abandoned her hopes of sitting up and just laid there, trying to piece together the events that caused her to be there.

Just as she was about to fall back asleep, the door opened and Sam's heart immediately lifted at the sight of Danny. His eyes were downcast, his hair completely tousled. He looked exhausted. There was a scratch above his eyebrow and his lip had crusted over in the corner with blood. As soon as his eyes met Sam's, he rushed over to her side, his breathing haggard.

"Sam...thank God you're awake," he said, his voice raspy and scratchy. He pulled over a chair and sat down, taking a deep breath. "I was so scared—I thought I might have lo—"

"I'm okay," Sam interrupted him. She didn't want to hear him say it—she didn't want to know she almost died. It would just make everything worse. "My head hurts...what day is it?"

"It's Monday night," Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You've been asleep for about forty-eight hours."

Sam groaned. She was so confused. All she wanted to do was sleep, but she didn't think she'd be able to rest for a long time. She laid there, watching Danny watch her. His eyes were so tired, their usual blue sparkle dead and empty. He looked anxious too—like he was hiding something. Something was definitely wrong.

"Danny—what's the matter?" She asked in a low voice. She didn't have much energy. He jumped a little and looked down at her tenderly.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "I'm just so grateful you're alive. Tucker was here earlier, we came as soon as school was out. My parents made me go. Your parents are here too, and my parents and Jazz. They're down in the cafeteria getting something to eat."

Sam grinned a tired grin. She was happy her family was here—all of her family. The Fenton's, her parents. She didn't want to think about the night before, and Danny seemed to read her mind. Her gave her a small grin and brushed her bangs to the side. Sam felt a little tingle where his hand lingered on her cheek. She hadn't forgotten about their 'drunken almost kiss'. But she doubted Danny remembered, he never held liquor nearly as well as she had, and besides, there wasn't time for a crush.

Danny pulled his hand away from her cheek awkwardly and coughed. Sam looked away. It was so awkward.

"Why don't you get some rest," Danny said, sitting back in his chair. "I'm gonna do some homework. Tuck's doing some research for us about the ghost that got you—"

Sam frowned, but it was getting harder and harder to stay awake. "What do you mean research? Why do we need research? The ghost's in the thermos, isn't he?"

Danny grimaced. He didn't want to tell Sam about this now, not when she was so tired. "Not exactly...don't worry Sam, just get back to sleep."

"Not...exactly? Danny...what..." but her eyelids had closed and once again Sam drifted off to a fitful sleep.

Danny watched her from his chair, his stomach in a knot. That ghost was still out there, lurking about, ready to strike. Sam and Tucker and himself were in danger, and it was up to Danny to protect them all—the burden was suffocating him, but he would die rather than one of them become hurt again.

A small voice in the back of Danny's mind that he tried to ignore pierced through him. He had a very strong feeling that the next time he saw that ghost, was the last time he ever saw anything again.

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Again, I'm soooooo sorry!!!! Don't stone me, please!!! AHH! I hope to get this thing rollin' again.Thanks to all my reviewers!!!! I love you ALL!!!! MWHA!!!!! My sisters a bitch and is making get off but I SWEAR, next time, LONG shout outs!!!! YAY!!


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